More than a bit "inspired" by Die Hard, Yuen Woo-Ping's 1995 picture The Red Wolf doesn't have much in terms of a story, has very little in the way of star power, features acting more fitting for late-night cable fare than a big-screen release, and there's a horribly annoying little kid running around. But if you're looking for high-octane action delivered at a breakneck pace, you could do a lot worse than this.

The movie takes place on a New Year's cruise, where a group of thieves led by Ngai Sing and Elaine Lui have disguised themselves as crew members so that they can steal a cache of uranium stored on the ship. Why exactly a passenger vessel is carrying uranium is never explained, and like many other plot points here, it's best not to dwell on their accuracy/believability, or lack thereof, lest you give yourself an aneurysm. At any rate, it's up to the ship's head of security (Kenny Ho) and a waitress (Christy Chung) to foil the robbers.

How will this adventure end? If you've seen more than one or two action films during your time, you'll probably be able to guess. The Red Wolf doesn't exactly break the mold when it comes to the story department, and the actors (save for Elaine Lui) look like they're sleepwalking, which doesn't exactly instill any suspense or excitement. But sometimes an action film just needs to be an action film, and The Red Wolf seems to subscribe to this formula.

After a bit of a slow first half-hour, the action kicks off and barely lets up for the remainder of the film. Assisted by Yuen Cheung-Yan and Cho Wing, Yuen Woo-Ping has crafted up some fine action scenes here. There's nothing revolutionary about any of the featured pyrotechnics, and the use of wires and undercranking gives the fisticuffs a dated look, but overall, The Red Wolf is fun and frenetic enough that most fans of Hong Kong action cinema should be able to find some enjoyable viewable material with it.

RATING: 7